Kasich Signs Columbus City Schools Bill

Ohio Governor John Kasich yesterday signed into law a bill allowing some of the revenue from a planned 9.01 mill Columbus City Schools levy to be shared with charter schools.

The measure also authorizes a November ballot issue creating an independent school auditor to review district reports and data, and initiate probes into suspected fraud, abuse or illegal activity. The bill comes as state and federal investigators probe the district's attendance data-rigging scandal. The Republican Kasich appeared at the bill signing at Indianola Elementary School in Clintonville with Democratic Mayor Michael Coleman. The mayor says the bill implements three of the 55 recommendations made by his Columbus Education Commission, which is comprised primarily of local business leaders.

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An estimated 100 protestors gathered outside the school to express opposition to the bill and to criticize Kasich for abortion restrictions in the new state budget. David Adams and Lorriane Robinson have children in the district. They say the bill amounts to a corporate takeover of the schools.

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Kasich had a message for the protestors.

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The proposed levy on the November ballot would cost the owner of a 100 thousand dollar home 315 dollars more per year.